Centrifuge having a seal mechanism

Abstract

The present invention provides a zonal centrifuge which has superior workability and functionality when a sample is filled and extracted. An oil bearing fitted to an outer circumference of a lower tube of a rotor is arranged on an internal face of a bearing housing fixed over a door adapter of the centrifuge. As the oil bearing and the lower tube are lubricated, a vacuum environment in a rotor rotating chamber is maintained. A rotating seal located at an upper leading end of the lower tube of the rotor and a fixing seal facing the rotating seal are arranged and provided in a sealed space formed by a mechanical seal member and the bearing housing, and the fixing seal is so manipulated as to be able to freely join and separate from the rotating seal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A centrifuge comprising:
 a rotor having a sample storage chamber configured to store a sample; 
 a rotor rotation chamber in which the rotor is provided; 
 a driving unit configured to rotate the rotor; 
 a first tube having one end connected to the sample storage chamber, and having another end where a first seal member is provided; 
 a second tube arranged to face the first tube; 
 a second seal member arranged at one end of the second tube; 
 a first supporting member arranged over the rotor, and configured to rotatably support the first tube; 
 a second supporting member configured to movably support the second tube in a direction toward the first tube and in a direction way from the first tube; and 
 an operation member formed in a cylindrical shape and provided rotatably on the second supporting member; 
 wherein the second seal member is configured such that when the operation member is rotated, the second seal member moves between a first position wherein the second seal member is not in contact with the first seal member and a second position where the second seal member is in contact with the first seal member. 
 
     
     
       2. The centrifuge according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an elastic member configured to apply force to the second supporting member to move in a direction away from the first supporting member. 
 
     
     
       3. The centrifuge according to  claim 1 , wherein the first tube includes a first passageway configured to fill and collect the sample in the sample storage chamber and a second passageway configured to fill a liquid configured to push the sample out of the first passageway. 
     
     
       4. The centrifuge according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first supporting member comprises:
 a bearing configured to be rotatable and to support the first tube; and 
 a bearing supporting member formed in a cylindrical shape, and configured to support the bearing; 
 
 wherein the second supporting member comprises:
 a cylindrical sleeve having one end connected to the bearing supporting member, and another end provided with a threaded face; 
 a tube fixing member slidably fitted to an internal face of the sleeve; and 
 an elastic member arranged between the sleeve and the tube fixing member, and configured to move the tube fixing member toward a direction away from the first tube; and 
 
 wherein the operation has one end provided with a threaded face corresponding to the threaded face of the sleeve, and has another end provided with an abutment part which abuts another end of the tube fixing member. 
 
     
     
       5. The centrifuge according to  claim 4 , wherein the second seal member connected to the second tube is configured to move to abut the first seal member when the operation member is rotated in one direction and the second seal member is configured to move in a direction away from the first seal member when the operation member is rotated in the other direction. 
     
     
       6. The centrifuge according to  claim 4 , wherein a lubricant filled in a space between the first tube and the bearing is configured to separate the rotor rotation chamber from atmosphere, thus a depressurized condition is maintained when an interior of the rotor rotation chamber is depressurized. 
     
     
       7. The centrifuge according to  claim 4 , wherein the first seal member is provided in a sealed space. 
     
     
       8. The centrifuge according to  claim 7 , wherein the sealed space is formed by the first tube, the bearing, the bearing supporting member, and the second seal member. 
     
     
       9. The centrifuge according to  claim 8 , wherein the bearing support member has two openings which are configured to communicate with the sealed space, one opening of the two openings being configured to allow air to flow into the sealed space through a filter, and the other opening configured to allow suctioned air to be exhausted through another filter. 
     
     
       10. The centrifuge according to  claim 7 , wherein a member contacting the sealed space is formed of a metal or a plastic. 
     
     
       11. The centrifuge according to  claim 4 , wherein the bearing supporting member has an opening configured to reach the bearing and configured to supply a lubricant to the bearing. 
     
     
       12. The centrifuge according to  claim 4 , wherein the bearing supporting member has an opening configured to reach the bearing and configured to supply a lubricant to the bearing. 
     
     
       13. The centrifuge according to  claim 1 , wherein a second seal member is configured to move to abut the first seal member and to move away from the first seal member with the rotor rotation chamber being in a depressurized condition. 
     
     
       14. A centrifuge comprising:
 a rotor having a sample storage chamber configured to store a sample; 
 a rotor rotation chamber in which the rotor is provided; 
 a driving unit configured to rotate the rotor; 
 a first tube which has one end connected to the sample storage chamber, and has a first passageway and a second passageway, the first passageway configured to fill a density gradient liquid and the sample in the sample storage chamber and configured to collect the sample in the sample storage chamber, and the second passageway configured to fill a liquid configured to push out the sample in the sample storage chamber to the first passageway; 
 a first seal member which is connected to another end of the first tube, and has a first opening and a second opening configured to communicate with the first passageway and the second passageway, respectively; 
 a second seal member which is so arranged as to face the first seal member, and has a third opening and a fourth opening which face the first opening of the first seal member and the second opening thereof, respectively; 
 a second tube which has a third passageway having one end connected to the second seal member and configured to communicate with the third opening, and a fourth passageway configured to communicate with the fourth opening; and 
 a joining/separating member configured to join and separate the first seal member and the second seal member; 
 wherein as the first seal member and the second seal member are joined together by the joining/separating member, the first passageway and the first opening become configured to communicate with the third opening and the third passageway, and the second passageway and the second opening become configured to communicate with the fourth opening and the fourth passageway, so that the sample storage chamber of the rotor becomes accessible through the third passageway and the fourth passageway; 
 wherein as the first seal member and the second seal member are separated from each other by the joining/separating member, the first passageway and the first opening are separated from the third opening and the third passageway, and the second passageway and the second opening are separated from the fourth opening and the fourth passageway; 
 wherein the joining/separating member includes:
 a first supporting member arranged over the rotor, and rotatably supporting the first tube; and 
 a second supporting member configured to movably support the second tube in a direction toward the first tube and in a direction apart from the first tube; and 
 an operation member; 
 wherein the second seal member is configured to move in accordance with a manipulation of the operation member, and is configured to abut and slide the first seal member which is configured to rotate along with rotation of the rotor; 
 
 wherein the first supporting member includes:
 a bearing which is arranged over the rotor, and is configured to rotatably support the first tube; and 
 a bearing supporting member formed in a cylindrical shape, and having an internal face configured to support the bearing; and 
 
 wherein the second supporting member comprises:
 a cylindrical sleeve which has one end connected to the bearing supporting member, and has another end provided with a threaded face, 
 a tube fixing member which is formed in a cylindrical shape, has an internal face fixing the second tube, has one end slidably fitted to an internal face of the sleeve, and has another end provided with a larger-diameter part, and 
 an elastic member arranged between the sleeve and the larger-diameter part of the tube fixing member, and configured to move the tube fixing member toward a direction apart from the first tube; and 
 
 wherein the operation member is formed in a cylindrical shape, has one end provided with a threaded face corresponding to the threaded face of the sleeve, and has another end provided with an abutment part which abuts another end of the tube fixing member. 
 
     
     
       15. The centrifuge according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 as the operation member is fastened to the sleeve, the joining/separating member causes the abutment part of the operation member to abut another end of the tube fixing member and to push the tube fixing member, causes the tube fixing member to move the second tube and the second seal member connected to the second tube in a direction toward the first tube, and causes the second seal member to abut and slide the first seal member which is configured to rotate along with rotation of the rotor; and 
 as the operation member is loosened from the sleeve, the joining/separating member causes the tube fixing member to be urged in a direction opposite to an axis of the first tube, causes the tube fixing member, the second tube and the second seal member connected to the second tube to move in a direction apart from the first tube, and causes the second seal member to be apart from the first seal member which is configured to rotate along with the rotation of the rotor. 
 
     
     
       16. The centrifuge according to  claim 14 , wherein a lubricant filled in a space between the first tube and the bearing separates the rotor rotation chamber from atmosphere, thus a depressurized condition is maintained when an interior of the rotor rotation chamber is depressurized. 
     
     
       17. The centrifuge according to  claim 14 , wherein the first seal member is provided in a sealed space. 
     
     
       18. The centrifuge according to  claim 17 , wherein the sealed space is formed by the first tube, the bearing, the bearing supporting member, and the second seal member. 
     
     
       19. The centrifuge according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 two openings which are configured to communicate with the sealed space are formed in the bearing supporting member; 
 one opening allows air passing through a filter to flow in; 
 another opening suctions the air; and 
 the air suctioned through another opening is exhausted through another filter. 
 
     
     
       20. The centrifuge according to  claim 17 , wherein a member contacting the sealed space is formed of a metal or a plastic which is a tolerant of heat at 121 ° C. 
     
     
       21. The centrifuge according to  claim 14 , wherein the bearing supporting member has openings which reaches the bearing and from which a lubricant is supplied and/or collected. 
     
     
       22. The centrifuge according to  claim 14 , wherein the bearing supporting member has an opening which reaches the bearing and from which a coolant is supplied.